Apparently Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has been listening to some Dave Matthews.
Today, McConnell delivered strong remarks from his grandfather’s porch on the Senate floor opposing the president’s budget. Two things jumped out at me.
First, a pretty startling statistic that is sure to get a lot of play on the right. According to McConnell, “In just 50 days, Congress has voted to spend about $1.2 trillion between the stimulus and the omnibus. To put that in perspective, that’s about $24 billion a day, or about $1 billion an hour – most of it borrowed.”
How much is Democratic leadership costing America? About a billion dollars an hour.
Second, what will become a Republican litany: “Over the next few weeks, the Senate will debate the details of this budget. But one thing is already certain: it spends too much, it taxes too much, and it borrows too much.”
And in case you missed it: “A $3.6 trillion budget that spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much in a time of economic hardship may be bold. The question is, is it wise?”
And again: “Americans want serious reforms. But in the midst of a deepening recession, they’re looking at all this spending, taxing, and borrowing and they’re wondering …”
And one more for the road: “Americans are looking at all this spending, taxing, and borrowing and they’re wondering whether we’re reversing the order – whether we’re beginning to say with our actions that we want everything now – and putting off the hard choices, once again, for future generations to make.”
Memo to GOPers: You should say “taxing, spending, and borrowing” more frequently than you say your own children’s names.
Senator McConnell also signaled that Republicans are ready to fight on cap-and-trade: “[T]his budget calls for the largest tax increase in history – including a new energy tax that will be charged to every single American who turns on a light switch, drives a car, or buys groceries. Unless you’re living in a cave, this new energy tax will hit you like a hammer.” (A hammer that’s taxed more heavily, no doubt.)
It sounds like the GOP is finally getting a little lyrical with its message. Let’s see if it gets through.
